Mount Holyoke's seven riders who competed at the Holiday Tournament of Champions with head coach C.J. Law. At right: ribbon winners (left to right) Caroline Sullivan, Emmie Mirarchi, and Hallie Phillips.
BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The Mount Holyoke College equestrian team finished out its fall semester of competitions Saturday at the Holiday Tournament of Champions, hosted by Virginia Tech, finishing in 10th place among 14 select teams. The show was the second in a series of four competitions in the fall and spring that feature top equestrian teams from around the country.
First-year Hallie Phillips (Santa Rosa, Calif.), senior captain Caroline Sullivan (Groton, Mass.), and junior Emmie Mirarchi (Harvard, Mass.) all earned ribbons at the end of a strong day and season of competition. Phillips placed third in the Low Medal, Sullivan placed fifth in the High Medal, and Mirarchi placed seventh in the High Medal.
Mount Holyoke finished with 21 points overall, in a three-way tie with Penn State and Otterbein for ninth most points among 14 competing teams. Penn State claimed ninth place among the three in a tiebreaker. Savannah College of Art and Design took first place with 47 points, followed by Goucher (39), Virginia Tech (35), Hollins (32), Sacred Heart (31), Washington & Lee (25), UMass-Amherst (23), Delaware Valley (22), Mount Holyoke, Penn State and Otterbein, Lafayette (17), St. Mary of the Woods (12), and Dayton (6).
Sophomore Helena Weiss (Clifton, N.J.) led off the day for Mount Holyoke's contingent of seven riders, entering the ring in Open fences, where she had a beautiful round, finishing in third place. Mirarchi was next up in Intermediate Fences, laying down a great trip to secure fifth place.
Next, Mirarchi reentered the ring in Flat Section A of the High Medal division, posting a lovely ride. Weiss reentered the ring in Open Flat and delivered a beautiful ride to finish in fifth place. The Flat phase of the High Medal division continued with Section B, where Sullivan put down a terrific ride. While they waited for callbacks, competition moved on to Intermediate Flat, where Mirarchi reentered the ring and put down a wonderful ride to finish in second place.
Next up, sophomore Cate Bates (Montclair, N.J.) entered the ring in Limit Fences and put in a beautiful round, securing a fifth-place ribbon.
Next in the ring, Phillips delivered a great ride in the Flat Phase of the Low Medal division and waited for callbacks. Next, first-year Emma Cantalupo (Candia, N.H.) entered the ring in their tournament debut and put in a tremendous ride in the Novice division to secure sixth place. Bates returned to the ring and put down a flawless ride in Limit Flat to secure third place. Finally it was announced that Sullivan, Mirarchi, and Phillips were called back for the fences portion of the medal divisions.
After the announcement, junior Kerina Li (Guangzhou, China) entered the ring in the Intro division and put in a tremendous round to secure sixth place. Next, Phillips put down a spectacular round in the Fences portion of the Low Medal. Sullivan then delivered a beautiful ride in the Fences portion of the High Medal. Finally, Mirarchi entered the ring for the Fences portion of the High Medal and put down a terrific round.
The hunt seat equestrian team will start off its spring show season on January 28th at the Winter Classic Tournament of Champions, hosted by Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga.
Final College Results
1. Savannah College of Art and Design - 47 points
2. Goucher College - 39
3. Virginia Tech - 35
4. Hollins University - 32
5. Sacred Heart - 31
6. Washington & Lee - 25
7. UMass Amherst - 23
8. Delaware Valley - 22
9. Mount Holyoke College - 21
Penn State - 21
Otterbein - 21
12. Lafayette - 17
13. St. Mary of the Woods - 12
14. Dayton - 6
-- Reporting by Caroline Sullivan '23
